Jihyun Kim, Seoul National University
Jihyun Kim
Seoul National University

Jihyun Kim is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Bioresources at Seoul National University. Her research focuses on investigating how a Phytophthora capsici RXLR effector causes cell death without triggering a host defense response. She is particularly interested in understanding how effector proteins, secreted by phytopathogens, manipulate biological processes in host cells to facilitate pathogen colonization. Additionally, she is fascinated by host defense systems and aims to find ways to enhance plant resistance based on the mechanisms underlying the interaction between plants and pathogens.

Jihyun Kim holds a Master's degree in Horticultural Science and Biotechnology from Seoul National University. During her master's studies, she specialized in improving a virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) method, which allows for the tracking of gene silencing from cotyledon to pepper fruits.

Research interests: Plant immunity, Pathogen effector, Non-host resistance, Plant-Microbe interaction, Cell biology, vesicle trafficking
Abstract:

Phytophthora capsici RXLR effector Pc12 causes cell death without host defense by inhibiting vesicle trafficking through small GTPase Rab protein
J. KIM (1,2) , H. KIM (1,2) , J. KALEKU (3) , E. PARK (3) , D. CHOI (1,2)

Phytophthora capsici causes blight disease on over 50 crop species including tomato and pepper with annually multi-billion-dollar losses in crop production. P. capsici secret hundreds of effectors into a host cell to manipulate host immunity for successful colonization. However, even with the numerous studies on the roles of RXLR effectors, the molecular mechanisms of effector-induced necrotic host cell death remain elusive. Here, we report a novel P. capsici effector, Pc12, that causes cell death in the Solanaceae family without induction of defense-related gene expression and association with downstream signaling components of effector-triggered immunity. Pc12 enhances the colonization of P. capsici upon transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. Moreover, its homologs from other Phytophthora spp. having structural similarity with Pc12, especially in the C-termini, also induce cell death in N. benthamiana. Proteomics and microscopy assay reveal that Pc12 targets small GTPase Rab protein and perturbs vesicle trafficking between ER and Golgi apparatus, suggesting that the expression of Pc12 results in cell death under severe ER stress. Together, our results imply a new effector family functions in their pathogen growth via ER-mediated cell death.

1-Plant Immunity Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
2-Horticultural biotechnology, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Bioresources, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
3-Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, WY 82070 USA
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=t5_GmMkAAAAJ&hl=ko
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